18. Oarus

18

OARUS

Once back in my lair, I feel better but not by much. The entire walk here, it took every ounce of sheer will not to turn around and rip those dark elves to shreds. Only Yvonne’s hand on my arm stopped me.

Yvonne plops down on the bed, her fingers playing with the necklace I bought for her at the market. A small smile plays on her lips, and I know it should make me happy to see, but instead, I’m just confused.

Those elves seemed to bother her just as much as me, and yet she seems fine now. How is that possible? For some reason, I can’t drop the subject.

I sit beside her. “Yvonne, I wanted to talk to you about what happened earlier. Those elves…”

Her expression darkens instantly at their mention, which only fuels me to continue the conversation.

“They hurt you.” It’s not a question.

She swallows, her hands falling from the necklace to her lap. “Yes.”

“Then why did you ask me to spare them? Why did you not take the opportunity for revenge?”

“I just don’t want the trouble.”

“But they hurt you. They should pay for that.”

“I’m sure they will eventually. But that doesn’t mean I have to be the one to do it.”

“I want to know what they did to you. Each one of them.”

Yvonne looks uncomfortable and she avoids eye contact, looking instead towards the exit of my lair.

“I don’t want to talk about it.”

“Please.”

She sighs but finally looks at me again.

“They took advantage of my position as a slave. They took out their anger on me, but it’s nothing a hundred others haven’t done to me as well. It’s nothing that they don’t do to countless other innocent human women. The actions they committed are… normal for the life I and other humans live.”

I stiffen upon hearing her call it normal. Normal. What does that even mean? That it’s okay? Because it most certainly is not. How can behavior like that be considered normal?

“Tell me more. I want details.”

“Oarus, I can’t give them to you. I don’t want to relive it. And I don’t want to ruin our night. We had a wonderful day before we saw them. Can’t we continue that? Can’t we just forget about it?”

I’m tempted to argue, to demand her to tell me, but I know that would be unfair. She is clearly more upset about this subject than she lets on. Pushing her on the matter would be disrespectful. I will just have to make do with the information she already gave me.

I reach out and touch her arm, running a finger across her skin.

“I’m sorry they did that to you. You did not deserve it. Any of it.”

Yvonne nods, breaking eye contact. A distant look takes over her face as if she’s remembering something and her entire body shivers. A bad memory. Because of those elves.

I clench my fist by my side but quickly unfurl it before she can see. Finally willing to change the subject, I stand and walk to the kitchen.

“I don’t suppose you’re still hungry after all we ate today?” I ask.

She blinks the memory away and looks at me, smiling.

“Speaking of which,” she says. “Thank you for today, it was amazing. I’ve never been spoiled like that before. Everything we tried was so wonderful.”

“I’m glad you enjoyed it. We can go back any time you’d like. I can do more deals with humans to get more coins, not that I’m running out of them. But if I ever do, I have ways of getting more. You will always be taken care of with me.”

“Thank you.”

“I can’t wait to see you in your new dress. Perhaps you can wear it soon for a date of some sort. A special night. I can cook you one of the human meals I have mastered.”

“I’d love that.” Her hand goes to the bronze flower in her hair, and her smile widens. “It will match perfectly with this.”

That it will.

“So is that a no on more food? If you’re still hungry I can make you something.”

“No, I’m okay. Actually, I think I’d like to lie down if that’s okay. I’m quite tired.”

“Absolutely.”

She stands and walks to the bed. She removes the flower from her hair, and I approach, helping her take the necklace off. As I remove it, I let my fingers linger on her skin a second longer than necessary.

Once in bed, Yvonne lies against my chest, her breathing already becoming shallower. I run my fingers through her hair as she drifts, knowing that I will be unable to join her in her slumber any time soon.

I have other plans for the night.

An hour after I’m sure Yvonne is asleep, I carefully slip out from under her, placing her head safely against the pillow. I stare at her for a moment, her peaceful, beautiful face reminding me of what I know I have to do.

No one who has hurt Yvonne should get to live. And I can’t explain why exactly I feel that way.

I slip out of the cave, finding my way through the tunnels toward the same exit we used to get to the market earlier today. I scented the dark elves earlier, so it will be easy for me to track them down.

Walking through the town, I search for them for hours, until finally I catch a scent on the wind. I follow it, feeling more determined than ever before. When the smell becomes stronger, I smile, knowing I’ve found them.

I watch as they load a buggy, chatting amongst themselves.

“What do you think of that slave we saw earlier? Pretty, huh?”

“Much prettier than the last one. And so expressive. Just the type I enjoy.”

“You will share her, Morgram.”

Morgram scoffs. “Share? I don’t know the word.”

The other elf looks angry. “Learn it then.”

They continue arguing while I count the minutes to their deaths. Excitement fills me to the brim, mixed with exactly the right amount of rage that I’m going to need to make this as brutal as possible. To give them what they deserve.

Just when they’re about to enter the front of the buggy and depart, I make my move. I grab the two of them, slamming them against the side of the cart.

“Hey! What the fuck?” one of them shouts. The other begins thrashing, trying to get away. But I have them both by their necks. They won’t be leaving my grasp.

“On behalf of Yvonne, I hope you’re ready to meet the gods tonight.”

Their expressions change, going from anger and shock to confusion.

“Yvonne? That fucking bitch?”

I dig my nails harder into the one who spoke. He chokes, coughing and sputtering. The other one decides to speak up as well. Dark elves never have been the smartest species.

“What a worthless human. More pathetic than most. You know she cried harder than anyone I’ve ever seen? But the truth is, I think she liked it.”

The other one stops coughing, trying to find his voice despite my chokehold on him.

“Yeah, a real masochist.”

Fury. Pure, blind fury. It’s all I know.

I let my nails sink into both of their necks, blood spurting out of them instantly. Their eyes bug out and they try as hard as they can to get me off of them, but they might as well be two small bugs under my boot. My strength goes unmatched.

I squeeze and squeeze until their heads are severed. As much as I’d love to mangle the rest of their bodies, despite them being dead, my work here is not done.

I sensed them the moment I walked up. Two more elves, hiding like the cowards they are. An evil smirk presents itself on my lips.

I find one of them hiding behind some barrels in the alley nearby. Before he can even speak, I’m ripping him to shreds. His face is unrecognizable in an instant, his blood squirting all over me. I lick my lips, laughing at what’s left of him.

Footsteps distract me from my handiwork, and my head whips around, spotting the other elf I had sensed running down the alley across from us.

Little does he know that I love to chase. He just made this that much more interesting for me.

I take off in his direction, leaving the bloodied mess of his friend behind. I don’t even run. I don’t have to. I just walk towards him, watching his head whip around until he spots me. He tries to run even faster, but his puny little legs can’t hold out. He trips, landing face first into the asphalt.

“You’re making this too easy, my friend. If only Yvonne could see you now. I bet she’d be laughing right along with me,” I called out.

The elf tries and fails to stand back up. It’s obvious that his fear has overtaken him completely. I catch up to him in seconds and crouch before him.

He’s still trying to crawl backward away from me, but I grab his ankle and drag him back to where he was. His hand disappears into his pocket and comes back out holding a dagger.

The elf slashes the dagger at me, almost hitting me, but I’m too fast for him. The truth is, these dark elves aren’t weak. Against anyone else, they probably would’ve gotten away. It’s sad, really, they’re not used to losing like this.

I chuckle, grabbing his fist and angling the dagger back towards him. I squeeze his hand so that he can’t drop the dagger.

“Just in case there was any confusion, this is for what you did to Yvonne,” I say, just before forcing his own hand to slit his throat.

I take my time on him as life slowly drains out of him. He screams and screams under my hands as I torture him, showing no mercy.

Once he’s long dead, I stand, surveying my work. A satisfied feeling settles over me, but it’s quickly replaced with something else that I can’t quite place. The same thing I felt earlier when Yvonne first spotted those elves. A protective feeling.

I’ve never felt this protective over anything before. I never had a reason to. My brows furrow as I ponder that, my feet propelling me back to my lair.

My own feelings confuse me, and I’m not sure what to make of this new me. Something about Yvonne brings out this side of me, and I have no control over it.

I long to be near her again, moving with urgency as I run through the tunnels that lead to my home. Yvonne’s new home.

When I arrive, I breathe a sigh of relief that she’s still asleep and well in my bed. Pride stabs my heart as I watch her.

She’s mine.

I’ve never wanted anything more.